


Savior

by writemydreams



Series: JayTim Weeks 2018: Tropes and AUs [6]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gen, JayTim Week 2018, MerMay 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-05-16 17:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14815698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writemydreams/pseuds/writemydreams
Summary: Jason has been floating in the ship's lifeboat for three days. He's out of food, has very little water, and there's no land in sight. Just when all hope seems lost a boy emerges from the water to offer him assistance in exchange for knowledge of the human world.





	1. Sea and Land

**Author's Note:**

> All month, I saw MerMay posts going around tumblr. I didn't plan to contribute since I'm not really into mer AUs... then this idea came to me! If I wasn't writing on the last day of May it would've been a one-shot. I won't be finishing the whole thing tonight so I'm splitting this into two chapters.

Jason lets out a pitiful groan as he curls in on himself. Three days out at sea in his little lifeboat. He wonders if going down with the ship is better than floating out on the open ocean. He’s survived the storm and the sinking. Now, he faces a slow death by dehydration or starvation unless his boat capsizes. Jason only has a few sips of water left. There’s no more food; he ran out of that yesterday. Jason was a street child before coming onto the ship. He’s used to hunger. Thirst and hunger are the constant companions of every street child. Somehow, he’s always managed to find water and scraps of food. 

He won’t be able to this time. Jason presses one hand to his growling stomach. Damn it, he doesn’t want to give up! Not when he’s fought so hard to live. So he forces himself back into a sitting position. Jason scans the horizon for land, shading his eyes against the sunlight. He licks dry lips when he sees a dark smudge come into view. Is that land? Or another ship? Jason grasps the oars and begins to row with slow, careful strokes. If it’s land that means there’ll be food. Water. Shelter! 

“You’re awfully small to be out at sea by yourself,” a young voice chides. 

Jason is so shocked he drops his hands from the oars. He snatches them back before they can slip into the sea. It has to be a hallucination. He’s been in the sun too long, he’s lonely, he’s hungry… Jason closes his eyes. He counts to ten before opening them again. There’s no one around. Not even a fish or bird. _Hallucination._ Jason sighs and continues to row. 

“You’re going the wrong way.”

There’s no mistaking it’s the same voice. Jason slowly twists to see who’s speaking to him. _If_ there is indeed a person. He gasps in shock as he sees a boy floating next to his boat. He looks about Jason’s age and has long, black hair and the most beautiful blue eyes he’s ever seen. Eyes the color of the sea. “W-Who are you?” he croaks.

“Tim.” The boy swims closer and cocks his head. “You’re as red as a starfish.” 

“Sunburn,” Jason mumbles. “Name’s Jason.” He grips his oars tightly as he watches Tim. There’s no way this boy is human. What is he then? A ghost? A siren? He isn’t singing so the latter is impossible. Besides, if he wants to drown Jason he only has to flip the boat. Then he’s doomed. Jason doesn’t have the strength to fight him.

Tim nods. “I thought so.” He swims around to the other side of Jason’s boat. He catches glimpses of crimson scales and a fin that’s such a dark red it’s nearly black. He blinks several times, still unsure if he’s hallucinating. “You need to be on land, right?”

Ghosts or hallucinations wouldn’t ask such clear questions. “Yes,” Jason rasps.

“Then don’t go that way. Go _this_ way.” Tim pushes the bow of the boat to the left to angle Jason in a new direction. “You were… rowing, right? That’s the correct word?” He waits for Jason to nod before continuing, “You were rowing towards the reef. You would’ve crashed and died on the rocks to become a meal for the sharks. Humans die there all the time.” He gazes towards the distant reef then looks at Jason again. “There’s an island nearby. I’ll take you there if you tell me about humans.”

Jason’s eyes widen. “Promise.” 

“You have to help me explore the island too.”

“Yes!” 

Tim grins. His teeth are sharp and very white. Fuck, he could probably bite Jason’s arm off if he felt like it. “Good.” He swims closer to put his hands on the side of the boat. For a terrifying moment, Jason thinks he’s going to tip it forward and drag him into the water. Drown him. “Do you have any rope?”

Jason hands a small coil over. He watches Tim tie an expert knot around the bow and give the length of rope an experimental tug. He seems satisfied since he makes another loop and slips his wrist through it. Jason’s eyes travel down his body to his tail. Tim is a mermaid. Merman actually. Or a merboy. Jason is fourteen, and Tim looks the same age as him. “Thank you.” 

Tim flashes another grin over his shoulder. “You’re welcome. Hold on tight, Jason.”

Jason grips the side of the boat for support when Tim surges forward. He’s a fast, powerful swimmer. If the added weight of Jason and his boat bothers him, he doesn’t show it. Jason watches Tim swim and marvels at his turn of fortune. It’s taken three days for him to drift this far. Now he’ll reach land soon. 

Tim doesn’t speak while he swims. Jason’s mouth is too dry to provide conversation. He takes a sip of his precious water to wet his throat, holding it in his mouth before swallowing. Tim’s rescue will be for naught if he can’t find anything to eat or drink on the island. Do merpeople need to drink water to survive? If so, maybe he can help Jason. He isn’t going to be able to tell him many stories without proper hydration.

Jason raises his gaze from Tim’s shining scales to watch the horizon for land. He grips the boat tighter when it becomes visible. “Land,” he whispers. Slowly, it becomes more than a dark smudge. The closer they get the more he can see. Palm trees, cliff tops… Palm trees mean coconuts. If Jason had any saliva his mouth would water at the thought of drinking the coconut milk and feasting on the flesh. He doesn’t know who or what is on this island. All he knows is that it’s a chance to live another day. 

The blue of the sea becomes lighter as they draw closer to land. Soon, he can see sand and shells. Tim pulls his hand out of the rope loop and swims around to the stern of Jason’s boat once the water is shallow enough for Jason to stand. Before he can ask what Tim is doing he gives the boat a mighty shove. Two more and then they’re close enough to shore that he can swing his legs over the side and help Tim get the boat ashore. 

Jason collapses onto the beach. “Thank you,” he murmurs again. 

Tim rolls forward onto his stomach and watches Jason. “Can you gather sticks to make a fire? I’ll catch us some fish. You’re weak. Scrawny. You need food.”

Jason isn’t sure if he should be offended or not. “You know what a fire is?”

Tim gives him a withering look. “I’m a mer, not an idiot. Of course I know what fire is. Do you know how to make one?”

Jason gives him a tired nod. “Yeah, I do.”

“Good. Make one and then we’ll eat. You can tell me about your kind and how you came to be in that boat afterwards.” Tim pushes himself backwards until he’s able to swim rather than drag his body across the beach. 

For the second time, Jason makes himself sit up. He watches Tim’s red tail cut through the waves before he fades away from view. He slowly stands on shaky legs. Sticks, palm fronds, and a coconut or two. Tim is too curious about him to just abandon him here on this land. And Jason is just as curious about his mysterious rescuer. All the tales say merpeople are either dangerous monsters who’ll kill a human or they dive beneath the water as soon as a human crosses their path. 

Why is Tim so different? Jason will have to wait until after they eat to find out.


	2. The Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it took me so long to write Chapter 2, I've decided to include this in JayTim Week 2018: Themes and AUs. This fits the "Bare Skin" prompt since Timmy is topless. I could easily extend this, but I've decided it's best to keep it open ended.

By the time Tim returns, Jason has a small fire going. He’s collected three coconuts, palm fronds and sticks to fuel the fire, and a few mangos. A fourth coconut, cracked from falling from a tree, sits next to him. Jason raises the coconut to his lips to take a long drink of the milk. Nothing has ever felt so good against his parched throat. 

Jason watches Tim’s head and shoulders break the surface of the water. He drags himself up onto the shore, holding a kelp net. “You came back.”

Tim raises an eyebrow. “Did you expect me not to?” He drops the net onto the sand next to Jason. Inside are three fish and several clams. “Oh, you found coconuts.” He flashes sharp teeth at Jason in an appreciative smile. “I don’t often get to enjoy these.” 

Jason rolls the largest coconut to his rescuer. “I didn’t know if you would return. I don’t know how much you value answers.”

Tim frowns at him. “I wouldn’t abandon a half-dead child. You’ll regain your strength after food and rest. Finish your coconut.” He splits his in half with ease, eagerly drinking up the milk before tearing into the white flesh with his teeth. 

Jason swallows heavily. He’s relieved Tim hasn’t shown any interest in attacking or eating him. It’d be all too easy to devour him! He finishes the milk then scrapes out some of the flesh with a sharpened rock he found. “Do you want a cooked fish too?”

“Yes. We can roast them over the fire or cook them in palm fronds. Do you have a preference?” 

Jason blinks. “You’ve cooked fish before?”

“Yes.”

“Over fire?”

Tim smirks at him. “Why so surprised? I befriended a sea witch some time ago. She taught me how to make a fire and cook. She’s gone now, but she would teach me things in exchange for fish and shells.”

Jason takes another bite of coconut. “She must’ve been an interesting teacher.” 

“She was.”

It’s surreal to talk about fire and cooking with a merboy. Jason wonders if cooking the fish is for his benefit. Mers obviously don’t require cooked food. Tim can easily tear into the fish with his teeth while Jason will have more difficulty eating. “I’ll cook them in palm fronds. Do you want me to leave one out?”

“No, cook all of them. I haven’t tasted this in a while.” 

Jason nods. “Okay. Thank you again, Tim.” He wraps the fish in palm fronds then places the three bundles into the bed of the fire. Carefully, he adds more sticks to keep it going strong.

“You’re welcome.” Tim cracks open two of the clams while they wait. “There won’t be any rain tonight. You can sleep in your boat and cover yourself with palm fronds if you feel chilled.” 

Jason nods. “Great. I did find a good place to put the boat.” He points to a grove of palm trees. “I’ll explore the island tomorrow.” Once he has his strength back, maybe he can fill the boat with water, put Tim in it, and tow him around to show him the island.

“Good.” Tim eyes the fish then reaches for another clam. He opens them with the same ease as he did with the coconut. “Would you like a clam?”

Jason shakes his head. “I’ll stick with the fish. Thank you.”

Tim shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He finishes off the rest of the clams while the fish cooks. Using a stick, Jason carefully takes one bundle out of the fire. He opens it to find the fish is hot and neatly baked. His stomach rumbles at the sight and smell of the food. “Mm, I have not had fish like this in quite some time.” He reaches for one then yanks his hand back with a soft hiss. The red webbing between his fingers flutters. 

“Too hot?”

“Yes.”

Jason grabs another palm frond. He wraps it around the tail of the fish then offers it to Tim. “There. You should be able to hold it now.”

Tim accepts the wrapped fish, smiling again. “Clever.” He bites into the fish.

Together, they devour the fish and share a coconut. Jason has forgotten what it feels like to have a full belly. Warm and sated, he lies back in the sand. All his good fortune is thanks to the merboy near him. His rescue still begs the question: why would a mer do anything for a human? 

“I thought humans and mers were enemies,” Jason says. “Mers lure humans beneath the waves to drown them.” 

“While humans hunt mers for sport or for scales, capture them, or kill them outright,” Tim replies tartly. “Our two species may be at odds with each other, but who cares? I rescued you because of your youth. And I want to learn from you. So why would I kill you?” He drags himself a little closer to Jason. “Unless you intend to attack your savior?” 

Jason’s eyes widen. He sits up, flailing his hands. “No! Of course not. I’d still be out there if not for you. Or dead on the reef if I made it that far.”

Tim’s bare shoulders shrug. “We’ve established you and I aren’t enemies. That’s all that matters to me.” He pushes himself up onto his forearms to study Jason’s face. “How do you feel now that you’ve ate and drank?”

“Still weak,” Jason admits. “I do feel a lot better though, thanks to you. I will need to find fresh water sometime tomorrow. Coconut milk is perfect for now, but I don’t know how long it can sustain me.” He twists to gaze back at the palms behind them. Plants can’t grow without water. There has to be a source here somewhere. He faces Tim again and rolls the final coconut towards him. “I’ll save my exploring for when I’m well rested. Help?”

Tim chuckles. “Sure.” He splits the coconut in half and gives it to Jason. “You promised me answers in exchange for my help.”

“And exploring the island.”

Tim nods. “Yes. Are you ready to tell me about your world?”

Jason takes a long drink from the coconut before nodding. “I am.” 

“Good. We’ll take turns then since I imagine you’re just as curious about my world. I’ll ask a question, you answer, then you question me. We’ll stop when you’re tired.” 

It’s a fair trade. “Okay. What do you want to know?”

“Where is your family?”

“Dead,” Jason replies. Tim is blunt and direct, so it’s no surprise his first question is such a difficult one. “My father died in a raid when I was nine. My mother died of an opium overdose two years ago.” 

“Opium?” Tim cocks his head. “What is this thing you speak of?”

Jason frowns as he searches for the right words. “Opium is a type of plant. Humans smoke it through a wooden tube called a pipe. It makes them feel good, but they get sick if they don’t have opium for a certain amount of time. The body learns to crave it like food and water. Addiction consumed my mother until she died.”

It’s Tim’s turn to frown. “This opium is a cruel plant. Why would people use it when it poisons their body?”

“I wish I knew.” 

“My people use something similar. Pufferfish stingers can be ground into a paste. There’s no pain or craving from using it though. Merely fun.” 

Jason gazes out at the sea. “Do you have a family or are you an orphan like me?”

“My parents are pearl merchants. They’re always busy with their work, so they have little time for me. I’ve learned to amuse myself.” If Tim finds this hurtful he doesn’t show it. “What did you do aboard your ship?”

“I helped the cook. Mostly I cleaned dishes, chopped vegetables, and served the crew.” Jason pokes at the fire with a charred stick to keep it going. “Do your parents know you come to the surface?” He wonders if mers are forbidden from doing so. Not that Tim will care or comply. He’s definitely the type to scoff at rules. 

Tim shrugs. “If they do, they’ve said nothing to me. They’re aware I leave the city. They tell me to be careful and task me to search for shipwrecks. Human objects are exotic for my people. They fetch high prices in the markets and make excellent gifts.”

Jason blinks. “What sort of things do mers like? Compasses?”

“I’ll show you.” Tim picks up his kelp net again and takes out a pouch. Opening it, he shows Jason a handful of gold coins, a pocket watch, a telescope, a silver locket, compass, and a lady’s hand mirror. “Possessing objects like these show you have status.” 

Jason leans over to pick up the telescope. “Do you mind if I keep this for a few days? I could use it to explore the island.”

Tim flashes him a shark-like grin. “It’s yours if you explain what these are.” He gestures to his little treasure trove. 

“Deal.” Jason holds out his hand, earning a puzzled look from Tim. “Put your hand in mine so I can show you what a handshake is. It’s how humans agree on something.” Or a kiss. He’s afraid to put his mouth anywhere those teeth though. 

Tim clasps Jason’s hand in his. It’s strange to touch him, to feel the delicate webbing between his fingers. The webbing is the same vibrant red as his tail. “Why do humans use this… handshake,” he pronounces the word slowly, “to agree?”

“I don’t know,” Jason admits. He pumps Tim’s arm up and down once. “There. Now we have a bargain.” He lets go of Tim’s hand to scoop up the compass. “This is called a compass. Humans use it to help them navigate. A compass always points north, so if the stars are covered by clouds, you can still know where you are.” 

Tim clicks open the locket next. “And this?”

Jason examines the locket. Any portrait or hair originally placed inside is long gone. “This is called a locket. You wear it around your neck, like so.” He clasps the chain around his neck. “They’re usually used by lovers. The captain of my ship had one of these with a lock of his wife’s hair inside. He would open it and think of her when he saw her hair. Sometimes people put portraits of loved ones inside.”

Tim nods. “Interesting. Mers use shells for painting portraits.” He lifts up the rock Jason used to dig out coconut flesh. He cuts off a lock of his hair, extending it to Jason. “We aren’t lovers, but I want you to keep this. I have another locket at my home. I will bring it tomorrow so you can give me your hair. I want to remember the day I met a human.”

Jason carefully places the hair inside, touched by the gift. “Thank you, Tim. For everything.” He closes the locket again. He doesn’t know what his life will be like now, if he’ll stay on the island with Tim as his companion, or if he’ll try to find a ship again. 

Whatever he chooses, at least he’s alive and has a friend.


End file.
